Travel & Accommodations

The city of Davis, located in California's Central Valley, is home to the University of California, Davis campus. Davis is a pedestrian-friendly city with a population of 65,000. The downtown area provides many opportunities for a relaxing evening after a full day of on-campus classes.

Bicycles are a major form of transportation, facilitated by level terrain and miles of bicycle lanes in the city and the campus. Bikes are available for rent locally and will speed your travel between your lodging and the campus.

Downtown Davis and the UC Davis campus are located on the north side of Highway I-80. Accommodations on this north side are typically within a 30-minute walk of the course location. Motels on the south side of I-80, however, are not considered within walking distance of campus. If you are lodging in these motels, plan on renting a car, renting a bike or using local bus transit.

Travel to Davis

By Air

Davis is located about 20 miles from the Sacramento International Airport. There are airport-shuttles, taxis, and public Yolobus services which provide regular transportation to Davis. You can also rent a car at the airport and drive to Davis. Details about travel to and from the airport are available on the Davis wiki webpage: Sacramento Airport.

The San Francisco and Oakland airports are a 1.5-3 hour drive from Davis, depending on traffic. International flights to Sacramento are often routed through these airports. Some adventurous travelers rent a car from these hubs and drive to the relatively pastoral environs of Davis. For information about travel via these airports and airport car rentals: San Francisco Int'l Airport and Oarkland Int'l Airport.

By Ground

The City of Davis extends both north and south of Interstate Highway 80, about 70 miles northeast of the San Francisco Bay area and 10 miles west of Sacramento. California Highway 113 links I-80 and I-5 at Davis, providing excellent access to the city from all compass directions.

Parking a car on campus is not free. If you would like to purchase parking permit to park on campus please contact us for assistance. Local motels provide guest parking.

Amtrak train service is available through Davis; a schedule of the long-distance and commuter services to Bay Area locations is available on the Davis Amtrak website. This might be an option for an excursion during the mid-course weekend.